5 Saraju 720

"An ale might be good. But we will wait for Algared and the rest. What are they doing in there?"

"The watchers did there bit in ringing the warning bell. What I don't understand is that I thought we had river patrols - Cunate's warboats - who were supposed to intercept marauders. What has happened to Cunate's longboats anyway? I havn't see them for a while."

Tersi shakes his head in seeming disappointment "I gave you this task because it was something that needed doing and you came to the Daas asking if there was any task that needed doing. Well I gave you one!"

"It appears that you are not up to the task, with that in mind now that you are released from this task, I want you and your warband to be prepared to march against the Dagen's men after the Ibengaard Festival. Mention this to no one outside your warband."

With Algared still talking with Tersi they both hear the exchange between Bjarni and Zaan once they have both left the greathall. Barak meets up with Bjarni and Sigrun and after brief chat they head down to the meadhall to quench their thirsts.

Bryndis has spent the morning chatting with Thaldirs Daas as he tends his weapons and armour.

Eirkyk has spent the morning away from the thran and the warband have had little to do with him for several days as he has been called away to tend the wounded men about the area. Bjorn on the other hand has found himself preoccupied after meeting someone about the thran that knows someone that he knows and has spent the last day or so in their company as they catch up on the gossip.

Borygg and Meldun have spent the morning about the meadhall and are joined by Sigrun, Barak and Bjarni upon their return. The slight chill they they felt by being outside is quickly driven away by the warmth of the smouldering hearth fire.

The weather continues to remain fine with a steady wind blowing in from the north east, the blue sky is mostly hidden by thin white clouds that streak across the sky.

"Very well, I'll tell them..." hearing the the exchange outside Algared graons but says no more as he turns to go.
Going outside he joins those already outside "We need to gather the warband."


Once the warband are gathered and away from prying ears Algared says "Apparently we made a cock-up of the task we had and have been releaved of it... after asking our Jarl if there was a task that needed doing, we were given that one.. top find the other traitors.. or collaborators and those who helped Gerbhert..Well we've been relieved of the task apparently didnt do anything. well we're in disgrace now... certainly not helped by insulting members of both Clan Daas and Clan Nildrom... and before you say anything Bjarni it would have been worse had you two actually just started working on that wreck.

Though I swear Madrin is an ass, I wanted advice not a meeting before the thing. Well we arent to touch the derelict not that much will be left above water in a 10-day. I have to inform my warband ..."

Algared relays the instructions regarding the march and not telling anyone outside the group, not that its a secret the Daas had already said as much at the feast...

"I've not done anything to disgrace myself."

"I told you it was unwise to ask to rebuild the wreck. If we want a boat we'll have to steal it."

"As for the meeting, from the raised voices I heard outside, both before and after the meeting, it didn't sound like a meeting of the wise to hear each other speak. But even, so how did we come to be protrayed as complete failures as you suggest? I take it from what you've said that Cunate did not like Bjarni's idea of raiding the Dagen either?"

"So what is your plan now? Do you intend to join the march? What do you plan to do in the intervening days?"

"I warn you now cousin, particularly if I am now in disgrace, you will have to talk fast and well to convince me to die in the shieldwall in a few days time."

"Yes, I thought the boat was a waste of time. I'm no shipwright and Sigrun and bjarni had shown they could work on boats, I was trying to stop them just doing it and getting us all in trouble, and not make foes amongst our friends and allies. Something I fear has been done anyway.

My proposal for action once we were freed of the task which we were clearly ill suited and drawing no evidence, though we should have started from the known, the allies and friends of the traitor." Algared shrugs, "was to travel to Tarnbro, take a vessel across the river and travel east through Maarlund. Until we came to Dagan held lands then cut out the largest Dagan held vessel we could manage to man and destroy the larger vessels, and anything else that could be employed to make war. As long as doing so didn't mean taking undue risks. As we travelled along the river west we would be able from Maarlund's side be able to view any build up the Dagan has. Travelling through Maarlund we could travel a good way in less than a day.

Alternatively, we could travel to the west and steal across the boarder with trond, if it suited Kugald's preparations and liberate a vessel from Trond. or travel west from here and try to get around the Dagan's patrols so we could undermine his ability to make war.

We would have four days because I intend to march with the host, with or without you."

"Well I am sorry that I have a hot temper. It has got me into trouble before now and will in the future. I don't take kindly to insults - and seeing as warnings are being given - I am at the point where the next one will earn the giver a taste of my knuckles.

And if Cunate wants me to stand in his shield wall...well...let's just say I would have to think on it.

Likewise, if we liberate a vessel from the enemy, I am not doing it just for honour's sake."

"I would agree with your plan to go through Maarlund, and I think it will suit Sigrun and Bjarni from what they have said. If that is the agreed plan, I will join you."

"We need to plan the detail more carefully, starting with how we are going to cross the river. I think destroying vessels and property is to ambitious, we'll be luck to be able to get away with stealing a boat, let alone start a fight with the locals. Our only chance of success maybe that the Dagen will think no one will be so stupid as to try."

"Crossing in to Maarlund may be seem by them as an act of war, since they will be keen to demonstrate their neutrality. If we do this we will never be able to return to Ygresdram, nor you to march to war."

"An alternative would be to stay within Daaslund and Storzarlund, and at least know we'll not be causing offence to a potential ally."

"No wonder the Dagen is winning this war. Clans stand neutral trying to avoid conflict instead of standing together to oppose him. He will gobble them up anyway. With the King dead and no fleet coming to help us, perhaps Cunate should change his mind about who he pays tribute to."

"Of course, unless I get rid of the Elemental or gain control of it cutting out any vessel from the Dagan would be moot. And I'd be loath to carry out such a task unless we know the strengths and weakeness of each other when fighting, and how best to support each other in a fight. I am sure had we been trained and use to functioning together and had stayed together during the raid things would have been different... but only had we been comfortable fighting as one and supporting each other.

Furthermore I gave the Daas my word I would fight for him, I do not know what oath Bryndis and Meldun or Bjorn gave. He asks us to fulfill our oaths and be ready to march after the feast.

As for the clans staying neutral, we know for a fact know the Dagan had spies opperating in Trond and this side of Daaslund. he promised trond independence and we know a spy here fled to Trond.. It would not be suprising to find he had agents in every court, so asking us to root out the spies and collaborators was no a small task, we just didn't find any evidence and obviously were missing the key elements..

I wonder if the Dagan's offer for peace during the feast was more to ensure the neutrality of pious Menglanians and keep them neutral rather than for his own new vassals."

"How quickly you turn from a plan of action, to doing nothing again! You say we have only four days. I am not going to spend them drinking ale whilst you contemplate that whirlpool. I say we train this very day, this afternoon, and prepare to leave tomorrow. If you have to study this... this... thing, then perhaps you should stay here and do so. Sarajin knows you have a lot of sailor's lives to atone for already. I will be on the training field after I've got my food from the meadhall. Be there, or not."

Barak will do as his says. If no one joins him he will practice with his bow alone. He will not return to the meadhall. When his training is done (which, if no one else turns up, will only take a quarter of a watch or so) he will drop by a friend who has a vegetable plot and ask to borrow a spade for an watch or so."

Borygg retrieves his weapons and joins Barak on the training grounds.

[OoC: See the 'things to do' thread on OoC player's chat forum. Basicly I posted here that Barak still has things to do... If you want to train the invite is open.]

Bryndis will join Barak and the others in training. She'll warm up first, then take the training easy if her hip starts to ache. But she knows she needs to work out the kinks, and get herself fully into fighting shape.

After training, Bryndis will again seek out Thaldirs to let his know to send word to her if he needs any help getting equipment ready for the march on Abderheim (she'll drop in an "assuming that is still happening with the kings demise"). Since Cunate is covering her room and board, she wants to do anything she can to help make preparations.

Bjarni will gather his gear and join his comrades. He wants to use a big long axe like Bjorn had, so if there is one handy, he wants to have a practice with that [OoC - ie - practice and open it at OML I am guessing].

"If we have to face a shield wall, we need a shield-breaker. A good long axe to smash shields or hook them back, with a couple of you lot covering me with shields so I don't get harpooned by their spearmen while I am doing it. How does that sound?"

Depsite Bjarni's best efforts he is unable to locate 'the shield breaker' and so has to content himself with practicing with his usual weapons. The warband spend the better part of a watch going through drills and routines while in turn having 'a bit of a crack at each other'.

There are several close calls during the training as blades fall a little to hard or a little to close but overall everyone walks away with little more than a few minor scratches and some red faces.

As the warband continue their rehersals the wind begins to gather as a strong gale begins to blow in from north, the sky remains clear and apart from the wind the weather looks to hold favourable.

With about a 1/4 watch of daylight left the warband bring the training to a halt, moving to the meadhall, the warband spends some time maintaining their gear ensuring that they will be ready when called upon next time. The shutters of the windows rattle intermittantly as the wind outside blows against the walls of the meadhall. The warband then wash up after their days exhertions and settle down for the evening with an ale or two, the warmth from the coals of the hearth fire dispell the chills of the afternoons wind.

The warriors come and go throughout the afternoon as they tend their business, some sit and chat while others move about the hall fetching an ale or some other piece of equipment. Barak is noted as having been missing for some time as he is not about the hall, but just as worry set in the hunter reappears dirt about his boots and leggings indicate that he has been outside probably hunting before dusk. The hunter seeming tired quickly washes and tends his equipment before the evening meal.

By early evening the warband have settled in enough and share the evening meal with Jabor and the other staff of the meadhall. A broth of vegetables and mutton serves as the main course with a loaf of rye bread while dried fruit and nuts fills out the rest of the meal.

From the quiet outside it would seem the wind has died down.

With full stomaches the warband settle in for some conversation before the warmth of the fire and their sated appetites finally brings on rest. At first Meldun gathers his sleeping gear and finds a place by the fire before the others quickly join him. Bjarni is the first to sleep but it is not long before everyone has fallen asleep. Algared having sorted out his sleeping gear finds a quiet corner of the hall and meditates for some time before finally succumbing to his fatigue and without causing a murmur amongst his companions he crawls into his sleeping gear and within several heart beats joins his companions in slumber.